Target Center renovation plan likely to pass council

MINNEAPOLIS - The nearly $100 million Target Center renovation plan has passed its final Minneapolis City Council hurdle.

It appears the full council will approve the plan almost unanimously next week on Tuesday.

The city would pay for $50 million of the fix-it cost; the city owns the building but has negotiated an agreement in which the Timberwolves and the arena operator would pay for almost half the renovation.

"This facility opens which means hundreds of other businesses are open as a result of it," Council member Lisa Goodman said.

The Friday meeting was the final chance for the public to weigh in on the plan.

"That's a good question. Why weren't people here to speak against it?" Council Member Cam Gordon wondered.

He was lone voice that opposed the plan, noting that other projects got state or regional money to help pay construction costs.

"We shoulder the burden in the city of Minneapolis, but we also reap the benefits," said Council President Barb Johnson, a long-time proponent of the arena renovation plan.

There were six people who did take advantage of the opportunity to address the council before next week's vote. They were community business leaders supporting the plan.

Council member Gordon wonders if people have stadium fatigue or perhaps they are just recovering from the recent council and mayoral elections.

"It was probably pretty clear to everybody that the city council was probably going to pass this no matter what happened," he concluded.

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